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Author Topic: Bavarian Bier Pretzels  (Read 4230 times)

Offline Dave Savoie

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Bavarian Bier Pretzels
« on: February 08, 2011, 04:00:49 PM »
Bavarian Bier Pretzels

¤ 1 cup warm water (105° to 115°)
¤ 1/2 cup homebrew (hoppy ale works well)
¤ one package dry baker's yeast
¤ 1/2 teaspoon sugar
¤ 4½ cups flour
¤ 1 egg beaten
¤ coarse kosher salt

Pour water into large mixing bowl. Sprinkle yeast and sugar over surface & stir until dissolved. Let stand for a few minutes. Add the secret ingredient... homebrew.

Put three cups of flour in a large bowl. Add some of the yeast/homebrew mixture. Alternate the flour and water until you have dough which can be formed into a ball.

Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth & elastic for about 10 minutes.

Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place (70° - 80°), free from drafts until the size doubles (about an hour).

Punch the dough down and divide into 16 equal portions, about 2 oz each. Form pretzels by rolling out by hand until the dough is about 1/2" in diameter and 14-16 inches long. Make a figure 8 with the dough with ends open. Pull each end of the dough up & over where it crosses (I always have to remember how to do this just right) Then push down where the ends of the dough rest on the pretzel, overlapping the ends by about 1/4".

Place pretzels about 2" apart on greased, foil-lined baking sheets. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt. Bake at 475° in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from baking sheets & cool on wire racks. Makes 12-18 large pretzels. If you must store them, use paper bags, not plastic. Serve with hot, sweet, honey or regular mustard (or whatever).
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